Course Code: POLS 3003
Academic Year: 2024-2025
This course explores the history and ideas of revolutionaries and their revolutions. We will examine why revolutions happen, what the revolutionaries were fighting for, the methods they used, and the ideas that supported their actions. Are violent revolutions ever justified? Do revolutions solve political crises or make them worse? Studying the history and theories of revolutionary activity will help students develop a critical understanding of contemporary political upheavals occurring around the world. In this course we will let revolutionaries speak for themselves, reading major revolutionary figures including Chairman Mao, Malcom X, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. This course takes a global perspective, looking at representative revolutions and revolutionary throughout the world and throughout history. By the end of this course students will be familiar with the issues that are at the root of international revolutionary movements and students will be in a position to recognize and interpret contemporary challenges to political power. Note: Students benefit from taking a lower level course in the Society, Culture and Commerce category prior to enrolling in this upper level course.